The potato market is starting to feel better about the increasingly empty warehouses. The new harvest on the table potato market is only showing itself slowly, as a result of which European prices continue to rise sharply.
Since the beginning of April, a significant upward trend has been noticeable in the PotatoNL quotations. Potatoes suitable for French fries, class 2 (export) were €0,25 higher on the last day of April, bringing this to €33,50 per 100 kilos. In 1 month the price has increased by 8%.
Export demand
The price for export potatoes (40 millimeters upwards) is also on the rise, as they gained €0,50 and ended the month at €28,25 per 100 kilos. Of the individual varieties, only Innovator recorded slightly higher prices, at €31,25. Fontane lost some to €30,25 and the popular Agria remained stable at €32,25.
In Belgium, PCA increased prices. Fontane and Challenger now pay €25 to €28. Fontane increases to a stated price of €26,50 per 100 kilos. There is talk of a fixed market mood, with demand mainly from Eastern Europe and a little from Southern Europe.
The United Kingdom also does not have ample supplies, which also puts a damper on the market for the Agria variety. Prices are rising there too. This week €0,80 was added and free table potatoes amounted to €25,87.
European tightness
Elsewhere in Europe, potato prices are also stable or rising. In France, warehouses are becoming increasingly empty and it is difficult to obtain table potatoes. The stock is very small. Prices of up to €48 per 100 kilos are paid for washed table potatoes, which is a price increase of €4. In certain regions, such as Champagne, more than €50 is already paid. Here too, the buyers are Eastern European.
Supermarkets in Northwestern Europe are currently supplied with potatoes from Egypt and Israel. The harvest in Southern Europe we are starting very cautiously; rain throws a spanner in the works. Further north, it is precisely the drought that is playing a role. Potato fields are dry to very dry. Photos and dates of the Boerenbusiness Crop tour Potatoes to show to how dry the soil still is.
Weather conditions
The month of May brings a transition to cold weather. Night frost is again predicted in the German early potato areas. Warm weather is certainly not the case in all growing areas, which can also affect the harvest closer to home.
The June contract on the EEX Potato Futures Market noted Tuesday April 30 slightly lower: €30,50. After closing the April contract, the price initially shot up. The April contract for 2020 was also slightly lower at €16,60. However, the DCA Potato Bingo for the 2019 harvest year has started with its highest quotation ever: €16,50. The previous record was €15,70 in 2013.